Rust in the kitchen: annoying, but harmless

Florian Tiefenböck studied human medicine at the LMU Munich. In March 2014, he joined as a student and has supported the editorial team with medical articles ever since. After receiving his medical license and practical work in internal medicine at the University Hospital Augsburg, he has been a permanent member of the team since December 2019 and, among other things, ensures the medical quality of the tools.

More posts by Florian Tiefenböck All content is checked by medical journalists.

Everyone knows rust on cutlery, pots and baking tins. Rusted kitchen items don't look nice and sometimes cause an unpleasant iron taste in food. But you don't get sick from it.

The reddish iron oxide on some kitchen utensils, which many people hate, is annoying and, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), does not pose a health risk. There is no data on the fact that rust film on pans, pots, knives or cutlery is harmful, says Jürgen Thier-Kundke, spokesman for the BfR.

What is rust?

Rust is iron oxide. It occurs when iron or steel comes into contact with moisture and oxygen. Experts also speak of corrosion.

In its recommendations on metals and alloys, the Council of Europe does not consider the amount of iron or its oxide absorbed through kitchen utensils to be a health hazard.

How can you remove rust?

Nevertheless: A strong iron taste can impair the taste of the food - and ruin every meal, no matter how delicious. According to Thier-Kundke, rust can best be removed by patiently rubbing and polishing - for example with the rough side of a sponge. Lemon juice, cola or vinegar essence can also help.

How can rust be prevented?

If you want to prevent the formation of rust on cast iron dishes and kitchen utensils made of steel, you can grease the items with an acid-free fat or cooking oil, according to the BfR.

Please note, however, that vegetable fats oxidize and thus become rancid. “Before use, pans and kitchen utensils protected with fat or oil should be freed from the layer of oil or fat with hot water so that the taste of the prepared food is not impaired,” says Thier-Kundke. (ft / dpa)

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